No matter what I say,

Question

All that I really love
Is the rain that flattens on the bay,
And the eel-grass in the cove;
The jingle-shells that lie and bleach
At the tide-line, and the trace
Of higher tides along the beach:
Nothing in this place.



("Eel-Grass," by Edna St. Vincent Millay)

Question 1
This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B.



,begin emphasis,Part A,end emphasis,
What is the central idea of the poem?

Question 1 Answer options with 4 options
1.
The speaker loves being outdoors more than being indoors.

2.
The present location of the speaker is much less desirable than the seaside.

3.
The speaker loves keeping a record of the many interesting features of the seaside.

4.
The opinion of the speaker is that the outdoors has both positive and negative aspects.

Question 2
,begin emphasis,Part B,end emphasis,
How does the first line of the poem help develop the correct central idea from Part A?

Question 2 Answer options with 4 options
1.
The line suggests that sometimes the ideas of the speaker are unpopular.

2.
The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.

3.
The line suggests that the speaker has conversations with a variety of people.

4.
The line suggests that the speaker is uncomfortable expressing personal thoughts.

Answer 1

Question 1: Part A
The central idea of the poem is most closely represented by option:

2. The present location of the speaker is much less desirable than the seaside.

The poem focuses on the speaker's attachment to specific natural features by the seaside, suggesting a preference for that environment over their current location.

---

Question 2: Part B
The first line of the poem helps develop the correct central idea from Part A by emphasizing:

2. The line suggests that sometimes the true feelings of the speaker are hidden.

The phrase "No matter what I say" implies that the speaker may feel detached from the words they express, hinting at a deeper, unacknowledged longing for a different place, thus reinforcing the idea that they prefer the seaside over their current situation.